Some human and mechanical causes of your truck accident

Posted on behalf of the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod and Baril, PLLC on March 10th, 2015

Last summer on our website we discussed a common scenario found in many commercial tractor-trailer accidents. In that blog post we highlight the case of a truck vs. car accident that occurred on Interstate 40. The accident took place in Knoxville and claimed the lives of two victims. In that accident a tractor-trailer rear-ended a car, sandwiching it between the truck and an SUV in front of it.

Let’s examine some of the factors which might play a role in many instances where truck drivers smash into other vehicles in front of them. Often, investigators have only to look toward the driver’s work logs to find the source of many accidents. Arguably, one of the worst kept secrets of the trucking industry is that some trucking companies compel their drivers to work long hours. Many companies do that in order to decrease shipping times and increase profits. The unfortunate result is that those fatigued drivers pose a real danger to Tennessee motorists.

Mechanical problems and vehicle maintenance also account for a large number of truck accidents. A Michigan study reported to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is alarming when considering the frequency of mechanical problems on trucks. That study found that during random inspections of 407 crashed trucks, at least one third of them would have received safety violations. More importantly, the study indicated that the violations were so serious that they would have rendered the trucks “out of service” prior to those crashes. That study also found that 32.7 percent of the trucks examined had some form of problems associated with their braking systems.

Based in Nashville, our law firm represents clients throughout Tennessee. We fight hard to safeguard our clients’ rights. We understand that medical costs associated with your truck accident can quickly become overwhelming. Prospective clients should know that our firm operates solely on a contingency fee basis with regard to truck accident representation. This means that clients pay nothing unless we achieve a favorable outcome on their claims.